The first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs has been a little bit insane.
As such, only three of the eight series have been resolved to this point. That means that only three teams have advanced to the second round: The Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, and Philadelphia 76ers.
However, those first two teams will be playing each other, which means the scheduling can already get under way. And this morning the NBA announced the start of that series: This Saturday, April 28, at 7:30 PM PST.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals series between Golden State and New Orleans will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. PDT on Saturday, April 28, at Oracle Arena.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) April 25, 2018
Since the Warriors have home court advantage against the Pelicans, Game 1 and Game 2 will be at Oracle Arena in Oakland. If necessary, Game 5 and Game 7 would be there as well, while the other three games would take place in New Orleans.
The rest of the series schedule has yet to be set, and will likely depend on how the outcomes of a few other games go. However, Game 2 will be either Monday or Tuesday.
Hopefully, Golden State can build on their small sample of playoff success against New Orleans. The teams have only met once before — in the first round of the 2015 playoffs — but the Dubs won that series in a sweep.
The Warriors will meet the Pelicans in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Saturday at Oracle Arena (time TBD). Golden State and New Orleans have previously met in the postseason just once, a 4-0 sweep for the Warriors in the 2015 First Round. pic.twitter.com/k9wUt90HW7
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) April 25, 2018
Saturday can’t come soon enough.